Concrete Repair and Protection (1)

Dr.-Ing. Volker Kauw

Concrete Repair
Contents
Importance of concrete deterioration in general Concrete as building material Reasons for concrete deterioration Concrete Repair
2

Importance of Concrete Deterioration in general

The economic loss related to concrete deterioration is significant. Valuable resources must be spent for concrete repair Concrete deterioration can endanger the lives of people

The life of a concrete structure

Phase A Phase B Design, construction and concrete curing Deterioration initiation processes are underway but damage is not yet obvious Deterioration is underway and starts becoming visible Deterioration process is advanced, extensive damage is visible
4

Phase C

Phase D

Law of Fives
1 $ spent in Phase A
= saving = saving

5 $ repair expenditure in Pahse B 25 $ repair expenditure in Phase C $ repair expenditure in Phase D

5

= saving 125

Reasons for Concrete Deterioration Concrete as Building Material

What is concrete? Sand + Aggregate + Cement + Water + (Additives) + (Steel) => Hydration => Conctere

What makes concrete perform? Design

6

Concrete as Building Material

Aggregate Concrete Surface

Cement Skin Concrete Cover Fine Mortar Zone Coarse Mortar Zone Fine Concrete Zone Concrete Shell

Reinforcement

Core Concrete

Concrete according to design with normal cement content and planned aggregate distribution

Typical cross section of reinforced concrete

Reasons for Concrete Deterioration Concrete as Building Material

Classification according to compressive strength classes 5 to 10 MPa 20 to 30 MPa 40 to 50 MPa 60 to 120 MPa Lean concrete, provisional structures Structural components in housing and industry Concrete for higher requirements in housing and industry High performance concrete for special structures
8

Reasons for Concrete Deterioration Concrete as Building Material

If concrete is produced according to international stand of technique, it is a very long lasting material, wear resistant and relatively cheap. Important is the proper design of the concrete components and the proper handling of the material during the casting process at site.

Reasons for Concrete Deterioration

A
Reasons, which already exist before the concrete component has been finished

- Mistakes during planning and design

- Mistakes related to concrete technology - Mistakes during production at site

Reasons, which attack the concrete after finishing the building

- Environmental influence - Extraordinary stress
10

Reasons for Concrete Deterioration

Main damages to concrete components
Corrosion of the reinforcement Expansion reaction Dissolving deterioration Spalling, cracking and weakening of composite
11

Reasons for Concrete Deterioration

What is the reason for corrosion of the reinforcement? Insinde a healthy concrete, the steel is imbedded in an alkaline milieu of pH 13. On the surface of the steel this produces a protective passive layer, which prevents the steel from corroding. Reducing of this alkaline milieu < pH 11 causes corrosion of the reinforcement.

12

Reasons for Concrete Deterioration

Carbonation Entrance of harmful agents Entrance of chlorides ...

13

Reasons for Concrete Deterioration Existing before finishing the Building

Mistakes during planning and design
Design of minimum measurements as design measurements Too slim concrete components Wrong load assumptions Construction situations are not being taken into consideration Insufficient investigation of the construction ground

14

Reasons for Concrete Deterioration Existing before finishing the Building

Mistakes during planning and design
Form deviations are not being considered sufficiently Wrong joint design Disregard of Stand of Technique

15

Reasons for Concrete Deterioration under Responsibility of the Designer

Concrete Composition Measurements Building Shape

Designer
Reinforcement Concrete Cover

...
16

Reasons for Concrete Deterioration Existing before finishing the Building

Insufficient concrete technology

Wrong concrete composition Wrong cement class Wrong kind of cement Too low cement content Too high water/cement (W/C) ration Insufficient quality of aggregates

17

Reasons for Concrete Deterioration

Mistake No. 1:

Too much water! W/C > 0.5

Why?

Makes life easier at site!

18

Reasons for Concrete Deterioration

Consequences of too high W/C ratio

Too much Water W/C > 0.5

Rosting of Reinforcement Steel

Too many Pores

Easy access of Harmfull Substances Carbonation Clorid Contamination ...

Loss of Steel Passivation

Spalling, Delaminating, Cracking of Concrete

Weakening of Concrete Components

De o f s tr u Bu ctio ild n ing

19

Reasons for Concrete Deterioration

Effect of W/C on (type GP cements): a) Compressive strength b) Concrete permeability

20

Reasons for Concrete Deterioration Existing before finishing the Building

Mistakes during concrete production at site Unauthorized addition of water Wrong installation of reinforcement Insufficient compacting of fresh concrete Inadequate after-curing Incorrect transportation of pre-cast concrete Poor construction joints Poor workmanship in general
21

Reasons for Concrete Deterioration Existing after finishing the Building

Physical influences
Temperature change stress Sub zero temperatures Fire Explosions Earthquakes Vibrations

22

Reasons for Concrete Deterioration Existing after finishing the Building

Chemical influences Carbon dioxide (CO2) Sulfur dioxide (SO2) Sulfuric acid (H2SO4) Chloride (CL-)

23

Reasons for Concrete Deterioration

Consequences of Carbonation
CO2 enters concrete

Carbonation
CO2 + Ca(OH)2 CaCO3 + H2O

Alkalinity drops pH < 12 Depassivation of steel

Spalling, delamination, cracking of concrete Weakening of concrete components

Corrosion of steel

Note:

De s t of b r ucti o ui l d n i ng

Carbonation usually stops at a certain depth

24

Reasons for Concrete Deterioration

Consequences of Chloride Attack
CL enters concrete
-

CL- > 0.4% total chloride W/W cement Spalling, delamination, cracking of concrete

Depassivation of steel

Weakening of concrete components

Corrosion of steel
Note:

De s tr uc of b ui l d ti on i ng

Chloride attack does not stop at a certain depth

25

Reasons for Concrete Deterioration

Influence of humidity and concrete quality on critical chloride content

26

Damages
Discolorations Rust Spalling, delamination of concrete Cracks Gravel pockets Honeycombing Destruction of building components
27

Damages

Cracking

Spalling

Delamination

Corner Effects
28

Requirements for Good Quality Concrete Dense, not too many pores (total pore volume < 16 Vol.-%) Water/cement ratio W/C < 0.5 Cement content > 300 kg/m3 Alkalinity pH > 12 Water dispersible chlorides < 0.35 % related to cement in compacted fresh concrete Concrete cover > 2 cm (3 cm)
29

Requirements for good Quality Concrete Proper grading of aggregate Proper aggregate quality Use good quality cement Correct cement type (GP, HE, LH, SR, SL)
(GP = general purpose, HE = high early strength, LH = low heat, SR = sulfat resistant, SL = shrinkage limited)

Limit fly ash content

30

Measures to achieve good Quality Concrete Carry out proper compacting procedure Carry out the necessary quality checks Check the batching plant Control the mix at site (Slump Test) Do not trust documents without checking

31

Measures to achieve good Quality Concrete Slump Test

1) Filling 2) Compacting

3) Lifting

4) Measuring

32

Damage Analysis
Formation and types of cracks Inspection techniques
Visual inspection Covermeter Zylinder compressive strength test Phenolphthalein indicator Half-cell potential mapping ...
33